Hello and welcome to another edition of Player Interview! This edition features the winner of the SM Inaugural POT (Pokémon Online Tournament), @Erzengel! The POT is one of PO's Official Tournaments, and it is a standard SM OU tournament with best-of-three matches. Let's begin the interview!

How did you first discover Pokémon?
I discovered Pokémon through a friend at the age of eight. I loved fantasy (I still love it), and I wanted to try 'mons, so yeah... I rediscovered it after a long break and started playing online then.

How did you first discover PO?
I don't even exactly know how I learned of it even though I've been here for no longer than about a year. I think there were multiple reasons, one definitely being @La.Melle2402 asking for participants for the German POWC team. I wanted to prove myself, so I joined and went 5-1 :smile:

How long have you been playing OU?
I started playing OU when I started playing competitively actually; that was two years and four months ago.

What does OU offer that other tiers lack?
OU offers the chance of being the greatest player. You can always revolutionize lower tiers, and you'll be famous, but you'll be acknowledged the most if you stand out in the tier that has the most users. Also, I like the metagame itself quite a lot and SM even more than ORAS. Mainly because SM offers a lot more creativity, and you have to play as smart as you can with every turn being important, while ORAS is 50% games that are decided by matchup-wins.

Is SM OU your favorite tier? If not, which tier is your favorite (including past generations)?
SM OU is my favorite tier (surprise surprise). I like ADV OU quite a lot because it's just such a balanced metagame and because of the general 'mons and sets that can be used right there (Choice Band Aerodactyl and Dragon Dance Tyranitar are just great). But my favorite is definitely SM OU.

Can you describe what it is like to win an Official Tournament?
Well, it would certainly mean more if it was on Smogon, but I'm surely happy that I won and not even because of the prize money. It's just a nice feeling that tells me that I'm good at what I'm doing here and that it isn't just a huge waste of time :D

Winning something always feels good.

What were your keys to success in the POT?
Self-confidence. And making the best out of every situation you're in. If you drop a game, it's important to just move on and focus on the next one. Because even if you lost, the battle isn't over, and this is only what counts.

What was your favorite / most helpful Pokémon to use in this tournament?
Well, I wanted to say Tapu Koko because it did such an amazing job but actually it was Landorus-T. It's so common that you nearly forget about it because it just doesn't stand out anymore. The Rocky Helmet set, the defensive Flyinium Z set, and the offensive Rockium Z set are all amazing. But Double Dance is simply one the most, if not the most, threatening sweeper in the metagame. It destroys stall, balance, and offense. Watch my replays in the different rounds, and you'll see it putting in work nearly every battle.

Which Pokémon did you most dread to see on the opposing team?
Metagross, I guess, because it is in fact simply just broken. It's not like you couldn't play around it, but if you get an opponent who doesn't care about the tour and who just clicks like he feels, than it's likely that you will be screwed over because it gets a KO nearly everytime against offense with the right predictions. I don't really hate it but beating it always includes a massive amount of scouting and smart playing, which is stressful sometimes.

Were there any moments in the tournament when you thought you might lose?
Actually no, not really.

At what point could you realistically see yourself winning the tournament?
I didn't at all. I was happy with every opponent I beat and I was looking forward every battle. Because even if the opponent is fearsome, it means that you still have an opponent, and that means that you aren't out yet. And if you aren't out yet, there's still a chance to win no matter who your opponents is, and this is even more true in a game like Pokémon.

Is there anything else that you would like to say to our readers?
Instead of thinking, you could "realistically" win something; just focus on the target that's right in front of your eyes. Be happy with what you've got instead of thinking about what you want.

Being in means you're not out. And that's actually the best feeling in my opinion.

Thanks, Erzengel, for taking the time to share your experience with us, and congratulations for winning the POT! This edition of Player Interview is coming to an end, but there will be more to come. To nominate players to be interviewed, post here or contact @E.T. on the PO forums.

1) What's your favourite house in GOT?
2) Favourite character in GOT?
3) Uh, do you even GOT?
4) Do you think that Gengar17 / Chillshadow is a level 69 crit summoner?
5) Twinkle Tackle Tapu Koko. Did that ever help you though in the tour though?